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In this lesson, students select a favorite family recipe and research the family and cultural traditions associated with it, along with the history of its ingredients. Students can use a variety of sources on the Internet. Each student creates a flyer that includes their recipe and the historical and cultural information they collected. All the recipe flyers are then compiled to create a class cookbook. On This PageLesson plan|
School level | | • | Middle school (11–13 years old) |
| Subjects | | • | History/Social Studies | | • | Language Arts |
| Class time | | • | 2–3 class periods (45-minute periods) |
| Software required | | • | Microsoft Office Word 2007 | | • | Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 |
| Materials needed | |
Teacher guideGoals | • | Students learn about history and culture by studying a particular food important to their family. | | • | Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. |
Objectives | • | Students will select a favorite family recipe and interview family members about the cultural and family customs associated with the recipe. | | • | Students will research the ingredients of the recipe using a "History of food" timeline. | | • | Students will use Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 to create a recipe flyer for a class cookbook. |
Lesson procedureIntroduction
Think about your favorite family events. What words do you associate with these events? [The list might include aunts, uncles, games, food, hugs, cousins, grandparents, nice clothes, yummy desserts.]
Foods are some of the most common things we associate with family gatherings. Many cultural traditions and customs center around food. One exciting way to learn about the history and culture of different peoples is to look at the foods that people eat. The jambalaya one family eats at its annual summer picnic has a very different history and cultural background, for instance, than the lutefisk that a Norwegian family always eats on Christmas Eve, the Hoppin' John a southern United States family eats on New Year's Day, or the Guthuk (barley crumb food with filling) that a Tibetan family eats for its New Year's celebration.
In this activity, you and your classmates will each select a favorite family recipe, interview your family about the cultural and family traditions associated with this dish, research the dish and its ingredients using a food timeline, and create a flyer about it that you contribute to a class cookbook.
Main activity
The Student handout (Microsoft Office Word document, 76 KB)
includes details on the main activity for this lesson plan, including Step 1, "Choose your favorite family recipe, and research it" and Step 2, "Create a flyer for the class cookbook."
Materials neededConclusion | • | Students can be assessed on their recipe flyer content, writing conventions, and design. | • | Flyer content | • | Does the flyer include the family recipe? | | • | Does the flyer include information about the cultural traditions associated with the recipe or dish? | | • | Does the flyer include information about why the recipe is important to the student's family? | | • |
Did the student include three historical notes?
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| | • | Writing conventions | • | Did the student use correct grammar? | | • | Did the student use correct spelling? | | • | Did the student use correct punctuation? |
| | • | Design | • | Is the information on the flyer easy to read? | | • | Is the flyer pleasing to look at? | | • | Did the student use appropriate graphics to enhance the flyer? |
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| | • | Distribute copies of class cookbook online to all families. |
Lesson extension activities| • | Have students find the current price of the ingredients and the price of the ingredients from 20 years ago. Students may include the information in their flyers or present it in a Microsoft Office Excel 2007 spreadsheet. | | • | Hold an International Foods Lunch to celebrate the completion of the cookbook. Have each student bring in the dish they researched. |
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